InterDigital Inc (IDCC)

[applet]

Please include Intel in the list.

Intel want to get into the mobile business, with its x86 architecture. What they miss? two parts:
1,low power consumption chip
2, more wireless IP

We all now the importance of first part, but why the second part so important for a chip company?

I am living in China, so I tell a story in the china market:

Nokia didn't lose to Apple, it lose to MTK. Five year ago, Nokia occupied majority of the $100-300 handset market in China, and maybe 90% in India. Now they are considering to quit that market in China and India, why? So many small companies in China build quality low cost phones based on MTK chip solution.

MTK was so successful, once it was the most valuable company in Taiwan.

When MTK wanted to migrate from 2G to 3G, they signed a license agreement with Qualcomm. At that time, MTK claimed it was a victory, as the agreement is $0 license fee. But MTK is wrong big. The condition is: MTK need't pay Qualcomm, while the phone manufacturer need to sign license with Qualcomm individually, before MTK can ship the chip. These phone manufacturer are all small companies that have no negotiation power. So when these companies approaching Qualcomm for licensing, either they got no response or they were asked by Qualcomm reps to buy chips from Qualcomm instead of MTK. MTK now face a big problem in 3G world and its share price are declining sharply.

Intel may face the same problem as MTK. It is getting into a new area, where its tech and IP can't help. Intel is fiercely solving its tech problem(power consumption and SOC), It may need to solving IP problem as well.

Intel's wireless bet is WiMax, where the world is toward LTE, so they need to build a LTE related IP base.

With the deep pocket as Intel, it can partner with Google or do it alone.